What should my cholesterol be?

About Dr. Chris Oh

Back to homepage

12/1/2011
What should my cholesterol be?

In general total cholesterol under 200 and triglyceride under "150" is considered "normal". You also want a low "bad cholesterol, LDL" and a high "good cholesterol, HDL". Personal and family risk factors are also important. If you've had a heart attack, stroke or have diabetes, your LDL should to be less than 100. If you have no personal or family history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes, LDL can be 130-160 range. If LDL exceeds 160 I recommend taking fishoil, flaxseed or omega-3 in addition to exercise. If it continues to increase, then I would recommend starting a medication.